1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to drain tubes that are used during surgical procedures. More particularly, the present invention relates to the physical structure of such surgical drain tubes and their methods of manufacture.
2. Prior Art Description
Whenever an invasive surgical procedure is performed on a patient, there is a possibility that fluid may collect in the surgical field opened during or after that operation. If the fluid is not drained, the surgical sight may not heal properly. If the fluid remains and becomes infected, the patient's life may be threatened.
It is for these reasons that surgical drains are used. A surgical drain is a device that is left in the operating field and drains fluids away as they form. For small surgical sights and/or surgical sights near the skin, passive surgical drains are often used. A “passive” drain is one in which only gravitational, capillary, or surface tension forces are used to move the collected fluids from the wounds, usually into the dressing. For large surgical fields and deep incisions, active surgical drains are typically used. An active surgical drain tube is one in which a vacuum source is provided to actively draw the fluid into a hermetically sealed container. Once the vacuum is applied, the container, drain and wound form a closed system with the liquid flowing in one direction only, namely to the container.
In an active surgical drain application, a plastic tube is traditionally used as the conduit for drawing fluids out of the patient's body. A problem associated with such drains is that the system can only draw fluid present at the tip of the tube. If fluid collects below the tip of the tube, that fluid cannot be drawn out of the body unless the drain is repositioned or a second drain tube is added.
One technique used to eliminate or reduce this problem is to position multiple drains in a wound, wherein each drain terminates at a different point in the wound. Such techniques are exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,111 to Ismael, entitled Flexible Surgical Drain With A Plurality Of Individual Ducts. A problem associated with such multiple drain techniques is that the use of multiple drains requires a large opening leading into the wound. Furthermore, the many drains traversing the interior of the wound provides a physical obstruction to tissue that is trying to heal. The large opening leading to the wound and the obstructed wound site lead to higher risk of infection.
Another technique used to increase drain tube efficiency is to use a single tube that branches into multiple tubes within the wound. In this manner, a smaller incision can be made in the skin, thereby lowering the chance of infection. Furthermore, the tube elements within the wound can be perforated to increase the surface area on the tube able to draw fluids. Such prior art drain tubes are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,395 to Rosenberg, entitled Fluid Drain For Wounds.
Although such branched drain tubes are less intrusive than multiple individual tubes, such branched drain tubes still provide substantial obstructions to healing within the wound. Furthermore, the incision in the skin must be left large enough to accommodate the multi-prong head. Accordingly, the opening leading to the wound site is significant, as is the corresponding chance of infection.
A need therefore exists for a drain tube system that can draw fluid from a wide area of a wound site, yet can provide minimal obstructions to healing tissue within the drain site. Furthermore, a need exists for a drain tube that draws fluid effectively from many areas of a wound site, yet requires only a very small opening in the skin that leads to the would site.
These needs are met by the present invention as described and claimed.